


Midnight Blues

by CaptainAmericaontheTardis



Series: Grandad's Family Owned Whole Foods and Supermarket [1]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, First Meetings, Hurt/Comfort, supermarket au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-09
Updated: 2015-04-09
Packaged: 2018-03-22 00:10:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3708157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainAmericaontheTardis/pseuds/CaptainAmericaontheTardis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve leaves Natasha to deal with a disturbance in the frozen food section, when she gets there she just finds someone in need of a little TLC.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Midnight Blues

"Um.. Natasha? There's a situation in the frozen food section.. Could you-- Um-- Handle that?" Steve peaked around the corner of the back room of the supermarket, looking incredibly uncomfortable with a blush creeping up his pale face. 

Natasha looked up from her phone, mildly interested but not taking her feet off of the table, she cocked and eyebrow at the small man. He was usually so eager to handle things in the store, seeing as he was headed for general management and Natasha's shift was over in a few minutes. 

"What, is it a drunk or something?" Natasha flicked something on her screen and watched as Steve attempted to find his words. 

His face scrunched up slightly, "Um-- Maybe? But Sam's here to pick me up so-- I gotta go.." 

Natasha's legs fell from the table and she added with a wag of her finger and a cocky smirk "See, I told you he was a good guy, you're in love aren't you?" She chuckled and the small man rolled his eyes. 

"Whatever, I'm just worried about leaving the situation in Tony's hand so can you take care of it?" 

Natasha sighed, "Why don't you just call the cops? I hate drunks." 

Steve actually looked slightly guilty as he spoke and shrugged, "Well, I hate to do that.. She's not really hurting anyone, just get her out of her, will you? Before Nick gets back?" 

He was distracted, looking at the door continuously, checking to see if Sam was still waiting for him outside. 

Natasha groaned but stood up, nonetheless "Yeah, whatever, But you owe me." 

Steve smiled, already backing out of the door towards the front and the tall man standing patiently near the big windows, revealing the night sky outside. Natasha followed as Steve backed away with a blush. 

She leaned on the door as he turned around and put a cupped hand around her mouth, "And remember! No hickys above the collar line or visible in a T shirt!" 

Steve cackled but shook his head giving her a backwards wave, she chuckled and added just as loud "Just regulations, you know!" 

She sighed as the men left the building then she grabbed a broom and made her way through the cold store to the frozen food isle at the back of the store. She was a few isles down when she heard the crying and she cringed, Great, an emotional drunk. 

She drug the broom behind her more as a prop than anything and she turned the corner stealthily, putting the broom to the ground, pretending to sweep as she looked down the back wall and inspected the situation. 

In the middle of the frozen glass doors, a door was wide open, letting out tons of frosty air, a woman was holding it open with her back. She obviously came prepared as she was wearing a big coat with fur on the inside. She was holding a pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream, the top was resting in the freezer and she was eating the dessert out of the carton with a spoon, crying loudly as she did. 

This was actually a common occurrence in the ice cream isle but most of the time women waited until they got home to have their breakdowns, apparently this woman couldn't keep it together any longer. 

Natasha moved forward cautiously, as the woman seemed completely oblivious that anyone was there with her or that she was in the middle of the store. She sobbed loudly, sniffling in between bites of the triple chocolate concoction. 

She moved quietly into the brunette's eyesight, the woman jumped slightly at the sudden company but she took another spoonful and shoved it into her mouth. Natasha didn't really know what to do in this situation so she just went with her instruction manual. 

"Um-- Excuse me, ma'am? Is there anything I can help you with?" She watched the woman's reaction carefully. 

The crying lady sniffled, looking over at the employee, she shook her head and said in a broken voice, "No thank you, I found what I was looking for." She said matter of factly. 

Natasha could see that. "Are you ready to check out, ma'am?" dumb, she knew but what else was she going to say. 

The woman sighed loudly and ruffled her collar, "I gotta go don't I?" 

Natasha felt bad but she nodded sympathetically, the woman gathered herself for a moment, she grabbed the top to the ice cream container and set it back on, keeping the spoon in her mouth and shutting the door obediently. 

She stood with the carton close to her chest and the spoon under her thumb, she stood in front of Natasha, looking a little ashamed. Natasha's instincts kicked in and she crept closer, pulling an arm around the obviously distressed woman. 

"Hard day, huh?" The woman nodded with a sniffle as they took a few steps toward the front of the store. 

"Uh-Huh..." Natasha kept her arm around the honestly, even with the red crying face, beautiful brunette. 

"Why don't you tell me about it? It always helps me to talk it through. What's your name, ma'am" 

The lady sniffled but nodded in agreement, "Darcy.. I'm Darcy.. and it's just been-- It's been a horrible day!" The sobbing started again and Natasha rubbed her arm lightly, rolling her thumb over the unnecessary coat. 

"Uh- huh, what happened?" 

Darcy spoke, sniffling in between words, "I woke up late today-- My stupid alarm didn't go off and then I got fired and he yelled at me--" 

They continued to move through the store slowly as she spoke, "Then I found out I'm failing a class and I just-- I just wanted to go home and forget about the horribleness of this day and-- Then Fernando died!" She broke into another round of sobbing, loud and distressed, Natasha held her close as she cried. 

"I'm so sorry-- Was Fernando your boyfriend or--?" 

"He's my cat-- Or he was my cat.." She cried and held the carton to her chest, no doubt melting the dessert in her bosom. 

They stopped at the register belt and Natasha turned her around, pulling the ice cream out of Darcy's hands and placing it on the belt. 

"Hey, hey, come here--" She let the strange woman fall into a hug, pulling her tightly in and rocking her slightly back and forth. Steve was right, she was harmless. Darcy sniffled into her shoulder, closing her eyes. 

"Thank you-- I thought someone was going to yell at me again.." She sounded legitimately appreciative. 

"No, no one's going to yell at you sweetie. Now, where do you live? I'll take you home." 

Darcy let go and then leaned on the metal strip just above the belt, "Just a few blocks that way--" She pointed in a general direction and Natasha nodded, moving back to the register. 

"Okay, I'll take you home, just let me ring this up." She moved the carton up and scanned it, Darcy followed the belt to the pay area. 

"Thank you so much.. You're so sweet. Thank you.." 

Given the circumstances, Natasha hadn't actually expected the woman to have any money, she had just expected to pay the couple bucks but Darcy moved up and handed her a five dollar bill. 

Darcy held up the spoon , "I brought it from home." She clarified before tucking it into her pocket and taking the ice cream now in a plastic bag even though it was already half eaten. 

Natasha looked over to Clint giving her a weird look from a few registers down and she shooed him with a wave of her hand. 

"Hey, Clint, sign me out, will ya? I'm going to take her home." 

He nodded slowly and she took that as a yes, before turning away and pulling an arm around Darcy leading her out of the store and into the clear night air. 

"Did you park your car around here?" 

Darcy shook her head, "No I just walked." 

Natasha was suddenly very glad she had decided to give Darcy a ride, she didn't want to imagine what could have happened to her walking home in the dark in this condition. 

Darcy got into the passenger seat of Natasha's car and held the bag tightly, her sniffling just starting to calm down. Natasha got in and started the car, turning the radio off so they could ride in quiet. 

Darcy leaned over and laid her head on the driver's shoulder, Natasha didn't mind, in fact, she was actually just happy she could help this poor girl. She patted the brunette's head lightly and then followed her directions to a small student housing spot. 

She got out with Darcy and followed her to her door where Darcy, very clumsily opened the locked door. She stopped just inside and turned to Natasha, leaning on the doorway, wiping away some of the mascara streaks on her cheeks, only smearing them more. 

"I am so sorry about tonight.. I hope you don't get into trouble because of me.." 

"Nah-- My shift was basically over anyway, you're fine, Darcy." 

Darcy nodded, relieved, "You're like the nicest person ever--" She glanced at the red head's name tag "Natasha-- Here--" 

She reached into her pocket and grappled with a pen, getting out a piece of paper and wrote something quickly on it. 

"Here, let me make it up to you- Can I take you to lunch sometime? I swear to god I'm not like this all the time." 

Natasha took the piece of paper with a number and the label "Darcy Lewis (Crying lady at your work)" Sprawled across the top. 

"I'd love that Darcy. Are you sure you're gonna be okay tonight?" 

The brunette nodded quickly, looking around her apartment "Yeah, it's just going to be a little lonely without Fernando here- Thank you." 

Natasha wasn't convinced, she took the pen out of Darcy's hand and motioned for her to give her arm. Darcy complied and Natasha wrote a name and number on the brunette's wrist. 

"Okay, if you need help just call me, don't hesitate to ask for help." 

Darcy nodded, looking at the number on her wrist, Natasha made to leave but she turned back around as Darcy caught her attention. 

"Hey, and thank you, Natasha.. " Then she added quietly, "You're my hero tonight.." 

Natasha could feel her cheeks flushed but all she did was nod and then leave the woman behind in her building. She could only hope that she would be alright and that maybe she could get to know this Darcy, who had made her evening so interesting. She couldn't wait to see who this "Darcy Lewis" was in the daytime.


End file.
